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Thera 1.66: Meghiya
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(66):Meghiya Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =66. Meghiya= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Kapilavatthu, in the family of a Sākiyan raja, he was named Meghiya.1 When grown up, he entered the Monk’s order and ministered to the Exalted One(Buddha) while he was residing at Calika on the River Kimikālā. And seeing a pleasant mango-wood he desired to live there. Twice the Exalted One(Buddha) refused, but at his third request, let him go. There, however, being consumed by evil thoughts as by flies, he got no concentration of mind, so he returned and told the Lord(Buddha). The latter said, 'When the heart, Meghiya, is not ripe for emancipation(nirvana), five things conduce to that,' and addressed him.ed1 Upon which Meghiya attained arahantship(enlightenment), and announced his aññā(supreme attainment) in this verse: ---- 66 Anusāsi mahāvīro sabbadhammānapāragu|| Tassāhaɱ dhammaɱ sutvāna vihāsiɱ santike sato|| Tisso vijjā anuppattā kataɱ buddhassa sāsanan' ti.|| || ---- 66 He, the Great Courageous Lord(Buddha), disciplined me, who has all transcended all Dhammas. And I, hearing the Path(Dhamma), held close to Him In loving pupillage and piety.2 The threefold wisdom have I made my own, And all the Buddha's ordinance is done. ---- 1 Meaning 'cloudy,' 'cloud-like,' a name of happier augury in India than in more humid climates. Told more fully in Udāna, IV., i. 2 More literally, 'lived near him having loved, or being devoted to.' But the idiom, to leave the world living 'near' a Teacher implies the relation of pupillage. ---- ed1 AN 9.3 1. A Dhamma friend; 2. mastering ethical conduct; 3. talk on wanting little, contentment, solitude, effort, ethical conduct, serenity, wisdom, liberation, knowledge and freedom; 4. living whole-heartedly single-mindedly intent on attainment of awakening; 5. penetrating knowledge of the orgin and passing away of phenomena and the 8-fold Way. ---- 1.7-666 Commentary on the stanza of =Meghiyatthera= The stanza starting with Anusāsi Mahāvīro constitutes that of the venerable Thera Meghiya. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted service toward former Buddhas and sowing seeds of good deeds in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Vipassī, ninetyone aeons (kappa) ago from now and attained the age of intelligence. At that time also, the Blessed One Vipassī, having reached the extreme end of Buddha’career (kicca) emitted His constituent of life (āyusaṅkhāraṃ ossajji). On that account when such a phenomena as earth-quake and so on sprang up; the big body of people trembled with fear. Then the great king Vessavaṇṇa made that matter manifest to that multitude of men and well-consoled the crowd. On having heard of that (sad news) the multitude of men became stricken with remorse. There, this young man (Kulaputto) heard about the power (ānubhāva) of Buddha, evoked his esteem for Him, the Master, and aptly experienced enormous zest and happy heart. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings and was reborn in the royal family of the Sākiyans in Kapilavatthu, when this Buddha arose. His name was Meghiya. On having come of age he became a monk in the presence of the Master, attended upon the Gorious One, when the Blessed One was dwelling at Jālika; on having seen a delightful mango grove on the shore of the river Kimikālā, he became desirous of living there; but he was prohibited (to do so) twice, by the Blessed One; on the third occasion, on having been discharged (vissajjito) he went there, but did not gain concentration (samādhi) of mind being bitten by flies of wrong reflections (vitakka); he went to the presence of the Master and informed Him about that matter. Thereupon the Blessed One gave him instruction which began thus; “O Meghiya! Five things (dhamma) happen (saṃvattanti) to get their perfection (paripāka) to any one whose emanicpation of mind is not thoroughly mature. He abided by that advice, developed spiritual insight and attained Arahantship. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “When the chief of the world Vipassī emitted his constituent of life (āyu- saṅkhāra) there well-quaked the earth, the girdle (mekhalā) of the sea (jala). As and when Buddha ended His span of life (āyusaṅkhaye), there shook my man- sion also, spread down and stretched over with well-variegated head-ornament. My enxiety (tāso) arose extremely when my mansion was well-shaken. For what purpose had it sprung up? There came to be light in abundance. Vessavaṇa came over here and cooled down the multitude of men: There exists no danger to the living creatures; you should be one- pointed and self-controlled. I say! For sure! Buddha as well as dhamma! Wonderful is the prosperity (sampadā) of our Master. When He springs up, the earth shakes spontaneously. Having made known the power of Buddha, I enjoyed myself in heaven for an aeon (kappa). In the remaining aeons (kappa) good deed was done (carita) by me. It was ninetyone aeons (kappa) ago, from now, that I gained this perception then, I do not remember any evil exis- tence; this is the fruitful result of my perception (saññā) over Buddha. Fourteen aeons ago, from now, I was a sovereign, a possessor of potency, known by the name of Samita, a world- king of great strength. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. Having, however, attained Arahantship, he uttered a stanza, making manifest his aññā(attainment), saying: “Arahantship was achieved by me” after having gained teaching in the presence of the Master.- 66. The great Lord, proficient (pāragū) in all dhamma instructed me. After having heard His teaching of truth (dhamma), I lived mindfully near Him. Three forms of super-science (vijjā) had accordingly been attained by me; Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. There, anusāsi is to be construed thus:– He advised and gave instruction which began thus: “O Meghiya! Five things happen to get their perfection, to anyone whose emancipation is not throughly mature.” Mahāvīro means highly heroic (mahāvikkanto); great exertion for the thorough fulfillment of the perfection of exertion, and for the prosperity (sampatti) of four forms of strenuous exertion (padhāna) not in common with others by means of self-resolution over such exertion as is endowed with four divisions (aṅga); thus, is the meaning. Sabbadhammānapāragū means had gone and achieved the other shore, the extreme end of all knowable truths (ñeyyadhamma) by the going of knowledge (ñāṇa); thus, sabbadhammānapāragū (proficient in all truths) (dhamma); the omniscient; thus, is the meaning. In other words: has gone and achieved, by means of self-made (sayambhū) knowledge (ñāṇa), nibbāna, which had become the further shore of all dhamma, conditioned by combonation of causes; thus, sabbadhammānapāragū (proficient in all dhamma. Tassāhaṃ dhammaṃ sutvāna means: having listened to the teaching of the four noble truths exalted by Buddha Himself by that Glorious Buddha. Vihāsiṃ santike means having been haressed by wrong reflection (vitakka) in the mango-grove, I went to Calika monastery and lived but near Buddha. Sato means being possessed of mindfulness; being diligent with the development of calm composure (samatha) and spiritual insight (vipassanā); thus, is the meaning. Ahaṃ means: this, according as “anusāsi (instructed);” thus, here is “maṃ (me);” in this manner “vijjā anupattā, kataṃ Buddhāna sāsanaṃ (super science (vijjā) had been accordingly attained; Buddha’s instruction had been carried out;” thus, here is “mayā (by me)” thus, it should be appropriated (pariṇāmetabbaṃ). “Kataṃ Buddhassa sāsanaṃ is to be construed thus:– by this, he made manifest the self-same apt attainment of three kinds of super-science (vijjā) according as has been said by showing the condition of suitably carrying out the advice of the Master, within the disposition (pariyāya). Indeed, the all-round fulfillment of the mass of moral precepts and so on, even constitute the carrying out of the instruction of the Master. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Meghiya is complete. ******** oOo ******** ----